Lincolnshire welcomes Baby Beaver for the first time in 400 years
The new-born was spotted in an enclosure in North Lincolnshire today
Lincolnshire has seen a baby beaver for the first time in over 400 years
The new-born was spotted on CCTV today in an enclosure in North Lincolnshire- making it the first born in the county since they went extinct in Britain in the 16th Century.
In 2023, Wild Wrendale reintroduced the first pair of beavers to Lincolnshire for the first time in 400 years, in a 70 acre enclosure on the farm.
Wild Wrendale, ran by Jack and Hannah Dale, said:
"Beavers are keystone species and play a vital role in creating dynamic, biodiverse environments. They are a native species that were hunted to extinction in Britain by humans. By building dams and digging channels, they slow water flow, reduce the risk of flooding downstream, and create diverse wetland habitats.
"These wetlands provide shelter and food for a wide range of species, from amphibians and fish to birds and insects. Additionally, their activities enhance water quality and promote carbon sequestration in the surrounding soil.
"The return of beavers is a key part of our commitment to working with nature to restore balance and resilience. By allowing them to shape the land in their unique way, we’re fostering a richer, more biodiverse ecosystem that benefits both wildlife and people.
In a post on Wild Wrendale's Facebook, they wrote:
"We woke up this morning to this footage on our wildlife camera within the beaver enclosure.
"It is the very first glimpse of the first beaver kit to be born in Lincolnshire for around 400 years!
We are delighted that our beavers are breeding and will be glued to the camera for the next few weeks. Swipe left for size comparison with an adult. Congratulations to the new parents!"
Watch the videos here:
The post continued to say:
"We introduced two wild beavers to a 70 acre enclosure within our rewilding project in December 2023. They are a native species but were hunted to extinction around 400 years ago
"Beavers are a keystone species and benefit biodiversity as well as helping to prevent flooding by slowing the flow of water during storm events
"Beavers usually have between 2 and 4 kits so we will be keeping our eyes peeled
"They live within multi generational family groups. Eventually when they are ready to disperse and find their own territory we will work with Beaver Trust to relocate them or bring in unrelated beavers to ensure genetic diversity is maintained"